Tension adjustable releasable ski bindings



April 7, 1970 P. K. WILEY 3,504,922

TENSION ADJUSTABLE RELEASABLE SKI BINDINGS Filed April 9, 1968 3 Sheets-Sheet l FIG.!

FIG 2 INVENTOR PHILIP K.WILEY BY 2%wd AT'TCRNEY April 1970 P. K. WILEY I 3,504,922

TENSION ADJUSTABLE RELEASABL'E SKI BINDINGS Filed April 9, 1968 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIGBA INVENTOR PHILIP K. WILEY ATTORNEY April 7, 1970 P. K. WILEY 3,504,922

TENSION ADJUSTABLE RELEASABLE SKI BINDINGS Filed April 9, 1968 3 Sheets-Sheet s INVENTOR PHILIP K-WILEY BY W ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,504,922 TENSION ADJUSTABLE RELEASABLE SKI BINDINGS Philip K. Wiley, 326 W. 7th St., Traverse City, Mich. 49684 Filed Apr. 9, 1968, Ser. No. 719,983 Int. Cl. A63c 9/086, 9/00 US. Cl. 280-11.35 26 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The present invention relates to releasable ski bindings for retaining boots to skis during normal skiing and releasing the boots from the skis under abnormal conditions. In a first embodiment, toe and heel plates are adapted to be attached to the boot and to extend forwardly and rearwardly thereof with each of the extensions including engageable, preferably concave structures. Forward and rear mounts are adapted to be affixed to the ski in spaced apart relation to accommodate the boot and its extensions. Each of the forward and rear mounts preferablyinclude convex structures to mate with the concave boot structures to maintain the boot in place under tension or pressure.

Preferably, the rear mount includes guiding means for its convex means, which may comprise a ball, to permit movement of the convex means along a path, which if extended would intersect the ski. Thus, any release at the heel causes the rear convex means to move along the path in more than a single direction, relative to the ski, usually upwardly and rearwardly with or without rotation.

The rear boot extension is desirably concave upwardly, and also includes an open ended slot, dimensioned to straddle the rear mount convex retaining means, for ready release.

In a second embodiment, the boot is adapted to be attached to a single plate which includes the same type forward and rear extensions, such that the plate and boot are released, as a unit, together from the ski with the same safety principle obtaining.

An important feature of the present invention permits substantial reduction of friction, through provision of unique structure at the forward mount for maintaining or urging the forward boot extension or plate upwardly or out of contact with the ski. Preferably, the only contact is established just forward of the rear mount, thereby facilitating release, but in any event, the boot is urged upwardly.

In operation, the rear extension from the boot may be maintained flush against the rear ski IIlOlll'lt under biasing pressure from the forward mount, such that the boot location is established by pressure from the forward convex means of the forward extension. In a decelerating forward fall, the forward mount convex means is biased forwardly due to forward momentum forces to unseat the rear mating arrangement more easily, and permit the skier to flip free of the skis. Similarly, direct lateral (shear) release or lateral release with twist (roll out) may be achieved, being initiated with unseating of the rear convex means. Means are also provided, in connection with the forward mount structure, to permit willful release through leverage principles, including a ski pole or the like.

Preferably, the invention employs relatively large balls as the convex means at each of the ski mounts, each biased in the direction of the boot. The forward boot extension may include a socket or concave receiving means for mating with the forward ball, and a generally concave upwardly rear boot extension for gripping the rear ski mount ball. However, in the rear mount, the concave ice means is not a socket, 'but rather preferably comprises bifurcated or spaced apart grippers or sliders for urging the rear mount ball upwardly and rearwardly to unseat the rear connection. Unseating may be achieved directly vertically, inwardly, outwardly or rotationally, of the ski.

Upwardly extending surfaces of the rear ski mount and generally vertical, but preferably are slanted slightly forward for abutting engagement with the rear boot extension to maintain the substantially constant pressure of the forward engagement, during vertical heel release. The preferred contact between the boot plate or rear extension and the ski is made just forward of the rear mounting ball and here again, friction may be reduced by employing a plurality of diminutive ball bearings as the contact line, facilitating lateral shear release.

Preferably, each of the forward and rear ski mounts includes a plate extension beneath the heel and toe plates or boot release plate to serve as bearing surfaces, further facilitating release, the forward bearing surface being useful if contact is made forward. Thus, preferably the width of the heel and toe plate or boot release plate should conform to the width of the bearing plates for least friction.

The invention provides for adjustably setting both forward and rear mounts longitudinally and vertically relative to the ski and for slightly angular orientation relative to the longitudinal axis of the ski. Also, the forward and rear ball mounts comprise means for adjustably setting the predetermined release pressure.

With the foregoing in mind, it is the general object of this invention to provide an improved safety binding for skis.

It is another object of the invention to provide such a binding allowing universal heel and toe release which will permit lateral, roll out, and upward heel release, and it will also allow upward, lateral and roll out toe release.

Another object of the invention is the provision of forward and rear co-acting biasing arrangements to maintain preset holding pressure on the boot during normal skiing.

Yet another object of the invention is the provision of a heel release employing a ball, which is guided for movement along a path, which would intersect the ski at an angle if extended, thereby enabling multi-directional movement of the ball for release.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of such a binding wherein the forward end of the boot is urged upwardly by preset biasing forces to reduce friction between the skier and ski, facilitating release.

The invention will be further explained, in detail, in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a view in side elevation of the preferred embodiment of the invention, in operative relation to a boot mounted on a ski;

FIGURE 2 is a similar view, but of another embodiment of the invention wherein there is a single boot plate with attached heel cable which release from the ski, together during a fall;

FIGURE 3 is a view in perspective of the rear ski mount structure;

FIGURE 3a is a detailed view of a portion of the structure shown in FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 4 is a view in perspective of a portion of the rear boot extension, for cooperation with the structure of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is an exploded view of the structure of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 6 is a view in side elevation of a portion of the forward mount structure with boot extension mated;

FIGURE 7 is a view in perspective of the forward boot extension structure;

FIGURE 8 is an exploded view of a slightly modified rear mount structure;

FIGURE 9 is a cross-sectional view of the structure of FIGURE 8; and

FIGURE 10 is a view in perspective of the forward mount and boot, to illustrate willful or intentional release.

Referring now to the drawings, in FIGURE 1, there is shown a boot 11, retained to ski 13, by cooperation between forward ski mount and rear ski mount 17. A toe plate 19 is atfixed to boot 11 and extends forwardly thereof to present a concave forward receiving means 21 for engagement with a ball 23, carried by the forward mount 15. A spring (not shown) is included in tube 25 to bias the ball 23 rearwardly, with the spring tension be ing adjustable through threaded plug 27.

The forward mount 15 comprises tube 25 welded or otherwise afiixed to slotted plate 31, in turn carried above the ski attached plate 33 by e.g. a suitable number of shims 35 for adjusting vertical height of the ball 23, relative to the socket of member 21. The nuts, such as 37, permit longitudinal adjustment of the forward mount and also slight angular adjustment because the longitudinal slot width is larger than the threaded stud passing through the slots 37.

In any event, the plate 33, extending beneath the boot 11 is sufiiciently long to provide a bearing surface as between plate 19 and plate 33 (which are preferably of about the same width to maximize this hearing area for readier release). The rear mount comprises a tubular or other similar support 41 and includes a guide path for ball 43, shown eg at an angle of 45 degrees to the ski. While this angle is very suitable for release purposes, the invention is not limited to such angle. The principle here is to permit the ball 43 to be displaced, i.e. pushed generally upwardly and rearwardly of the boot 11, with or without rotation, to facilitate release of the grippers 43, which are attached to or form an integral part of heel plate 47, affixed to the heel of boot 11. The ball 43 is, of course, spring biased to its lowermost position, and is retained by one or more forwardly extending arms of arcuate chutes 49. Spring tension at rear mount 17 is under control of adjustable knob 51.

The rear mount 17 is attached to bearing plate 53, afiixed to the ski, by threaded studs received in nuts 55, and which studs are accommodated in longitudinal slots (shown in FIGURE 3) for longitudinal, slightly angular or vertical adjustment of the mount. Vertical adjustment may be effected by shims, if necessary.

The forward and rear mount structure will be described in greater detail hereinafter, but the principle above set forth is equally applicable to the modified structure shown in FIGURE 2, wherein the heel and toe plates 19 and 47 are replaced by an elongated boot plate 61 which includes a forward toe rim 63 for gripping the sole of the boot and the heel cable 65 for securing the boot to the plate 61. In this embodiment, plate 61 carries forward and rear extensions, identical to the structure above-described for use with the mounts 15 and 17. The skier may leave plate 61 attached to the ski and exit by releasing heel cable 65 and slipping his toe from beneath rim 63.

In FIGURE 3, the rear mount is shown in greater detail wherein the bearing plate 53 is affixed to ski 13 by recessed flat head screws or the like 71, and includes a plurality of tiny balls 73 deployed thereacross for contact with the heel plate 47. Balls 73 are simply seated in plate 53, as seen in the detailed view of FIGURE 3a, by being forced into an opening slightly smaller than the ball diameter thereof, and to protrude above plate 53. It will be understood that the balls 73 are not necessary and a good workable bearing surface is provided between heel plate 47 and bearing plate 53 in their absence. The adjustable feature of plate 56 carrying tube 52 relative to plate 53 is shown by the nuts and bolts 55 in slots 60. The ball 4 retaining means is shown in greater detail as the extension 49 adapted to retain the ball within the guide tube 52.

The exploded view of FIGURE 5 reveals tension spring 77 which may be a inch medium strength die spring, which preferably applies biasing pressure to ball 43 by way of dish-shaped disc 79.

While not absolutely necessary, it is preferred that the forward abutting surface 81 of tube 52 be slanted slightly forward of the vertical at an angle of about 85 degrees to the plate 56 in order to maintain the preset tension as the sliders or grippers 45 rise along guide surfaces 81. The device will, however, operate with vertical surfaces at this point.

From FIGURE 4, it may be seen that the rear boot plate extension 41 is bifurcated with the grippers or arms 45 extending rearwardly to form an open-ended slot. The width between grippers 45 exceeds the width of extension 49 (FIGURE 3) in order that the heel may be vertically lifted for release in a direct forward fall. It will also be noted that the grippers 45 form an upwardly concave arrangement which grips the lower portion of 'ball 43 and actually cams the ball rearwardly and upwardly along its guide path for release, be it direct vertical, lateral shear, or roll out force encountered.

At this point, it will be appreciated that the principle herein described may be carried out by other than the preferred structure herein pictured. For example, the extension 49 may be eliminated with ball 43 retained by side or lateral extensions, in which event, the grippers 45 would be replaced by a central longitudinal plate which could come up through the opening where extension 49 had been eliminated or could slide outwardly laterally from under ball 43. But in either event, and regardless of whether multiple grippers or balls were used, the concept is to provide a guideway which permits retaining ball 43 to move along a path, which if extended would intersect the ski, thereby providing multi-directional movement of retaining means to facilitate multi-directional release. Thus, it is not essential that the grippers 45 have an upwardly concave structure for cooperation with ball 43, but the structure depicted has proved superior to the other structures employing the same concept.

It will now be pointed out that the preset release pressure which varies according to the weight of the individual skier for individual release is determined through coaction between forward mount 15 and rear mount 17.

Looking at FIGURE 6, it will be seen that the forward extension 21 includes a semi-recess 91 into which forward ball 23 is biased from tube 25. It is also important to note that flange 93 extends forwardly from recess 91 from its upper aspect to permit the forward end of the boot to be biased upwardly by ball 23 and to preferably remain slightly out of contact with bearing plate 33, as shown by gap g. This gap is of a very minimal nature and is closed from time to time due to the weight of the skier, vertical momentum, etc., but the significant factor is that at all times there is an upwardly urging force to minimize friction between boot and ski, for ready release. The gap g extends almost the length of the boot 11 from forward ball 23 to just forward of rear ball 43, as marked by the tiny ball bearings 73 or, in their absence, a plate to plate contact at that point.

As an alternative, a fixed ball-like protuberance may be carried by the boot toe upriser and the semi-recess 91 carried by the tube 25 of forward mount 15. The semi-recess would be formed on the end of a rod-like extension fitted in tube 25 and resiliently biased in a direction rearwardly of the ski for engagement with the protuberance. Flange 93 would comprise a portion of the rod-like extension for the same type releasable engagement.

The same principle obtains with the plate shown in FIG- URE 7, as prevails with the boot toe and heel plate structure. When the single plate is used in lieu of the heel and toe plates, the upward riser toe portion includes a sole gripper extension 63, which cooperates with the heel cable 65, to maintain the boot to the plate connection.

FIGURES 8 and 9 show a slightly modified rear mount which eliminates the upwardly extending tube by the use of a flat horizontal mount or hollow blank or tube 101 which includes an angular guideway 103 in communication with a horizontal tubular opening 105. The rear ball 43 is retained in, for example, the one inch guideway 103 by the forward arcuate extension 107, but may ride up and down the guideway 103. Spring tension is provided through forward spring 111 acting against, e.g. inch ball 113, in turn biasing, e.g. one inch ball 43, thereby transmitting pressure around the angle between conduits 103 and 105. Otherwise the principle of operation is the same as previously described.

Since the pressure to maintain the boot releasably attached to the skis, under rigorous conditions is great, a means should be provided for the skier to release himself at the end of a skiing session.

In FIGURE 10, there is shown a suitable structure for willful release. This comprises the centrally disposed slot 121 in forward bearing plate 33, directly beneath forward ball 23. The skier inserts his ski pole 125 with the pole tip in slot 121 and laterally displaces forward receiving recess 91 to free it from ball 23 thereby freeing boot 11 to release from the ski.

I claim:

1. A releasable ski binding for retaining a boot to a ski during normal skiing and releasing the boot from the ski under conditions adverse to the skier comprising in combination means adapted for attachment to the boot to extend forwardly and rearwardly thereof to comprise forward and rear boot mounting means; forward and rear ski mounting means afiixed to the ski in spaced apart relation to mate with respectively the forward and rear boot mounting means; said forward ski mounting means comprising convex engaging means; said forward boot mounting means comprising concave engaging means; means in the forward mounting means for biasing said convex means into said concave means; said rear ski mounting means comprising convex means, guideway means therefor to guide the convex means in a direction which if extended would intersect the ski, and resilient means for biasing the convex means in a direction having at least a force component urging the convex means in a direction longitudinally forwardly of the ski; at least part of said guideway means retaining the convex means at the rear ski mounting means against said biasing force; said rear ski mounting means comprising an abutment surface, said rear boot mounting means including at least a surface normally maintained in abutting relation with the abutment surface; and said rear boot mounting means being further adapted to abut releasably said rear convex means whereby adverse conditions to the skiers safety cause the rear boot mounting means to force the rear ski mounting convex means to recess along said guideway, means thereby freeing the boot from the ski.

2. The releasable ski binding of claim 1 wherein the part of said guideway means of said rear ski mounting means and said rear boot mounting means are substantially complementary.

3. The releasable ski binding of claim 2 wherein at least one of the complementary means is at least partly divided in spaced apart portions and the other of the. complementary means has a width to pass between the spaced apart portions to permit passage therebetween.

4. The releasable ski binding of claim 3 wherein said one of the complementary means is concave upwardly.

5. The releasable ski binding of claim 4 wherein said forward boot mounting means comprises an upper extension of the concave engaging means to locate the boot toe plate off of the ski.

6. The releasable ski binding of claim 5 wherein said forward ski mounting means includes a plate affixed to the ski and said forward boot mounting means comprises plate means aflixed to the boot to provide bearing surfaces when said boot and plate means are pressed downwardly against said plate of the forward ski mounting means.

7. The releasable ski binding of claim 6 further comprising another plate aflixed to the ski and extending forwardly of the rear ski mounting means, and means carried by said another plate ahead of the rear ski mounting means to serve as bearing means between the skier and the ski.

8. The releasable ski binding of claim 1 wherein said rear boot mounting means is biased flush against said rear ski mounting means by the biasing means of the forward mounting means causing said surface to press against said abutment surface.

9. The releasable ski binding of claim 8 wherein said rear ski mounting means comprises a substantially vertical forwardly slanting guide means for said rear boot mounting means.

10. The releasable ski binding of claim 9 wherein the convex means of said rear ski mounting means comprises a ball, and said rear boot mounting means comprises a pair of spaced apart grippers for engaging said ball.

11. The releasable ski binding of claim 10 wherein said forward and rear boot mounting means respectively comprise a toe plate and a heel plate secured to said boot.

12. The releasable ski binding of claim 10 wherein said forward and rear boot mounting means comprise a single plate extending at least the length of said boot, and further comprising means for affixing said plate to said boot.

13. The releasable ski binding of claim 10 wherein the plate of said forward ski mounting means comprises at least one leverage depression means to facilitate willful release of the skier from the ski.

14. The releasable ski binding of claim 10 wherein said rear ski mounting means comprises a further biasing guideway, and second means interposed between the rear ball means and biasing means therefor to transmit the biasing force to said rear ball means.

15. A releasable ski binding for safely releasing a skiers boot from a ski at a predetermined release pressure, comprising in combination forward and rear ski mounts adapted to be affixed to the ski in spaced apart positions, forward and rear boot mounts adapted to be affixed to the boot and to cooperate with the forward and rear ski mounts in retaining the boot to the ski and in releasing the boot from the ski, said rear boot mount and said rear ski mount comprising releasably engageable means, said rear ski mount comprising biasing means for normally maintaining engagement between said engageable means, said forward boot mount comprising coacting means, said forward ski mount comprising means for engaging said coacting means, said forward ski mount comprising biasing means for biasing said means for engaging into contact with said coacting means, one of said coacting means and engaging means having extending means for engagement with the other thereof to locate the boot and forward boot mount out of contact with the ski and out of further contact with the forward ski mount and said rear boot mount making further contact with said rear ski mount in addition to the contact of said releasably engageable means whereby frictional engagement between the skier and ski is reduced to facilitate release.

16. The releasable ski binding of claim 15 wherein said engaging means comprises ball means, guideway means therefor adapted to guide the ball means in at least a direction having a component at an acute angle relative to the top of the ski, the rear biasing means biasing the ball means in said direction, and means for receiving said ball means and camming said ball means along the direction against the biasing force for release.

17. The releasable ski binding of claim 16 wherein said ball means, guideway and biasing are disposed in said rear ski mount, and said means for receiving the ball means comprises a portion of said rear boot mount.

18. The releasable ski binding of claim 17 wherein said means for receiving said ball means comprise an upwardly concave portion of said rear boot mount, and said ball means comprise a ball retained in said ski mount.

19. The releasable ski binding of claim 18 wherein said means for receiving said ball means is adapted for abutting engagement with said rear ski mount under pressure exerted by said biasing means of said forward ski mount against said coacting means.

20. The releasable ski binding of claim 19 wherein said receiving means is adapted to straddle at least a portion of said guideway retaining said ball means.

21. The releasable ski binding of claim 20 wherein said rear ski mount comprises a further guideway for said receiving means which guideway is disposed substantially vertically relative to the ski.

22. The releasable ski binding of claim 15 wherein said rear boot mount engageable means is biased into contact with said rear ski mount for release with sufiicient movement to unseat said forward ball means.

23. A releasable ski binding for retaining a boot to a ski during normal skiing and releasing the boot from the ski under abnormal conditions comprising plate means adapted for attachment to the boot and extending forwardly and rearwardly of the boot, forward and rear ski mount means aflixed to the ski in spaced apart relation to accommodate the boot and plate means, biased convex means movably retained by each of said forward and rear ski mounting means, said forwardly and rearwardly extending plate means comprising concave means for en gagement with said forward and rear convex means; and said rear mounting means comprising guide means for the convex means for permitting movement of the convex means along a path which if extended would intersect the ski; said rear ski mounting means comprising an abutment surface; and said rear boot mounting means including at least a surface normally maintained in abutting relation to the abutment surface.

24. The releasable ski binding of claim 23 wherein said convex means comprises balls.

25. The releasable ski binding of claim 24 wherein said plate means comprises a toe plate and a heel plate.

26. The releasable ski binding of claim 25 wherein said plate means comprises a single plate.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,788,981 4/1957 Emerson 280-1135 2,793,869 5/1957 Braun 280-1135 3,179,434 4/1965 Minisini 280-1135 3,241,849 3/1966 Bodycomb 280-1135 3,338,587 8/1967 Wiley 280-1135 FOREIGN PATENTS 202,049 2/ 1959 Austria.

1,337,872. 8/1963 France.

LEO F RIAGLIA, Primary Examiner I A. PEKAR, Assistant Examiner 

